The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Radiator size question

I'm getting ready to buy a universal alum. radiator (19x22) for my 54 but I'm starting to get worried about it not providing enough cooling for the 350 engine. I planned on a High flow water pump and a shroud for the electric fan but I'm still not sure if I will have overheating problems. The radiators say they are good up to 400hp. My engine will be no where near that. Any comments?

That is the size I ran in my 9 second drag car with roughly 600hp and I had no troubles keeping it cool (obviously drag cars have fairly short bursts of time they are running so factor that in). The aftermarket aluminum radiators do a really good job in my opinion. I have a fairly hot street car with roughly 400 hp and it has a little larger version, 19x27 I think it is and I don't even have a shroud on it. It just has a composite flex fan on it. I have sat in stop and go traffic on a 100* day and it never got above 195*. I'm building a 48 5 window now and I am planning to use one of those 19x22 units on mine wtih a mild SBC. I think you will be fine if you do what you're planning.

I also have installed a Aluminum Radiator on my 62 Pickup it has a 355 .cu in.Chevy 350 30 overbore. 300-325HP. with all the goodies. I have installed a Spal electric fan behind it running a Aluminum water pump. The Radiator has a set of two i" tubes running down through it with a 180 theromstat. You can also get a driect flow setup which runs through the complete radaitor in a up & down fashion or side to side fashion for more true cooling. This meaning that all the tubes are hooked together. The company said that it will stay cool in stop and go traffic. I have kept my old radiator 4 core just in case but do not think will need to go back to it. I also have a seperate cooler for my automatic trans. which has a close mount near trans. with short hoses to keep it even cooler going back in to the transmission. One thing to remember when buying a radaitor for your truck they make several types of tanks the stamped type and the welded type. The welded type can really be polished out to look really nice with very little elbow grease and the stamped type can be a little more work as the forming dies will leave marks on the tank making it harder to polish if that is what you want. I just got the formed type as it will be a daily driver. I do not think you will have any problems with cooling. My 2 cents.
62Blue
Don

Don G. I echo your answer. Have almost the identical set-up on mys 62 only I am running a 4 speed muncie. Running a 190 thermostat with some pusher fan I found in the local salvage yard. All is right

I have an AFCO 26X20 (Summit part # AFC-80103NP) in my TF. The Flex-a-lite 180 fit like it was made for it. A bit on the pricey side, but a melted engine would be worse.
http://picasaweb.google.com/ChrisAurit/ItSChrisGreenTruck#5261399360526634818